Chapter 18 I’m Attending the Banquet Too
“What? Triple the price? Why don’t you just rob us outright?” Tina snapped, moving to snatch back her credit card. The ring was already 580 thousand dollars—triple that would be nearly 1.8 million dollars. To her, this was clearly just extortion because they knew she had money.
Alicia noticed Tina was losing her composure and feared she might say something incriminating. She quickly cut in with a sharp tone, “Fine, triple it is. It’s just money, Tina. Let them charge the card.”
Tina froze at Alicia’s words. She stared at her friend, her brow furrowing. “Alicia,” she whispered, though the nearby employee could still hear clearly. “I don’t have… that much in my
account.”
“Hmph, the nerve of some people. Trying to act rich when they can’t even afford it,” the employee sneered.
Alicia clenched her fists in anger. In her twenty–one years of life, she had never felt so humiliated. All of this was Anne’s doing- that witch would pay for this.
“I need to make a call,” Alicia said coldly, stepping aside and pulling out her phone. When Hugh answered, she lowered her voice immediately. “Hugh, I’m in a situation…”
Chapter 18 I’m Attending the Banquet Too
Hugh quickly sprang into action after their conversation. He
contacted the mall’s management directly and resolved the issue by offering a generous settlement of two million dollars to the mall.
2/7
Tina reluctantly took back the diamond ring from the store employee and hurried to catch up with Alicia, who was already walking away.
The store manager dispersed the crowd of onlookers, and the scene gradually returned to normal.
Meanwhile, high above in the VIP lounge, Killian sat elegantly on a leather couch, having enjoyed the entire dramatic scene unfolding below.
Justin stood beside him, noting how Killian had casually opened a bottle of red wine to accompany the entertainment. The scene seemed almost comical, with several nervous mall executives standing stiffly behind the couch like a human wall.
Now that the show was over, Killian casually checked the time on his phone and raised his hand. “Let’s go to Sovereign House. Time for a celebration.”
“Right away, sir,” Justin replied with a slight bow. Though he
wondered what exactly they were celebrating, he immediately made all the necessary arrangements and notified Rafael Thornton, the manager of Sovereign House.
*****
Chapter 18 I’m Attending the Banquet Too
3/7
After returning home, Anne immediately began planning for the charity gala.
She personally modified the cocktail dress she had purchased, transforming it into something with an entirely different aesthetic. The redesigned dress had turned out exactly as she had envisioned. It was absolutely perfect.
A satisfied smile crossed Anne’s face as she admired her
handiwork.
She delegated the remaining arrangements to Grace, then turned her attention to her computer screen, where several files had finished transferring. Another smile played across her lips, but this one held a touch of irony. These files contained information she had once wanted to erase completely, back when she had returned home starry–eyed and ready to marry for love. As she looked back now, that decision seemed almost laughable.
Hugh and Alicia had betrayed her together, and Anne knew they had no idea about the secrets she still held.
Anne looked away. Her thoughts drifted to Tina’s earlier comment about Alicia attending the gala.
Years ago, Hugh had managed to schmooze with Helene at a similar gala, securing an investment partnership with Magich Corporation that had saved the Carter Group from its financial
crisis.
Chapter 18 I’m Attending the Banquet Too
4/7
But this time would be different. Anne had made sure that when Helene’s Magich Corporation looked for partnership opportunities in Celestine, The Carter Group would be explicitly excluded from consideration, no matter who else might be
chosen.
XXXXX
Inside a private room at Sovereign House, soft music filled the air while the establishment’s finest wines and delicacies adorned the table. Rafael, the owner of Sovereign House, stood attentively at the side, personally attending to his guest.
Rafael studied the persistent smile on Killian’s face with growing suspicion.
It had been three minutes since Killian’s arrival, and that enigmatic smile hadn’t left his face once. Justin had called earlier to announce that Killian was in a good mood and planned to visit Sovereign House.
The mere news of this visit had sent Rafael into a nervous
frenzy. After all, Killian wasn’t just any guest. He was Sovereign House’s majority shareholder and such an important one that they couldn’t even get him to attend the grand opening. The fact that he would suddenly choose to visit was unprecedented.
The public knew Killian as the playboy heir of the Kendrick family, notorious for his supposedly wild lifestyle. In reality, he had never even set foot in an establishment like this before.
Rafael found himself wondering if the rumors about Sovereign
Chapter 18 I’m Attending the Banquet Too
House’s new lineup of beautiful hostesses had somehow drawn Killian’s attention.
Rafael quickly swallowed hard and dismissed that ridiculous thought. He vividly remembered his previous attempt to promote Sovereign House by sending some stunning models to Killian’s office. That mistake had earned him such a severe reprimand that he’d nearly found himself begging for mercy.
Rafael shook his head, trying to dismiss these unwanted thoughts. He cleared his throat before speaking with exaggerated formality, “What brings you here today, Mr. Kendrick? This isn’t like you at all! Are you really the same Mr. Kendrick I know?”
Killian glanced at Rafael upon hearing his greeting. Rather than taking offense, his smile only grew wider.
“Am I not allowed to come here?” Killian asked with a raised
eyebrow.
“You’re more than welcome here!” Rafael spread his hands welcomingly, his expression serious. “Forget just visiting–you could move your whole house here if you wanted to. After all, you’re the real owner of Sovereign House. Technically, I work for you. So, boss, what can I do for you today?”
Killian’s smile faded as he replied with a serious tone, “Open the wine. Have a drink with me.”
Rafael fell in silence. He stared at the bottle of red wine on the table, his brow furrowing in confusion. What was this about? He
Chapter 18 I’m Attending the Banquet Too couldn’t make sense of it.
Rafael summoned a server to decant the wine, while he
6/7
personally set out the wine glasses on the table. As he completed these preparations, Rafael couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different about Killian today.
He struggled to put his finger on it, but Killian seemed like a completely different person–almost like a stranger. The change was baffling.
Rafael discreetly pulled out his phone and fired off a quick text to his best friend Javier Goines: [Holy shit, I never thought I’d see the day. Killian’s acting totally different!]
The wine arrived shortly after.
Rafael personally handed a glass to Killian.
Killian accepted the glass and looked up at Rafael with an inquiring gaze. “The charity gala tomorrow night—you’re one of the organizers, right?”
Rafael stared at Killian for a few seconds before nodding. “I can’t believe you actually remember that! Man, I practically had to beg on my knees to invite you, and all you did was blow me off, saying your people were already attending so don’t bother you about it. Why bring it up now? Don’t tell me you’ve suddenly developed an interest in the gala?”
Killian responded with a soft “Hmm,” offering no argument. He raised his wine glass and took a small sip. The rich aroma
Chapter 18 I’m Attending the Banquet Too enveloped his senses, transporting him back to that unforgettable evening.
7/7
“Send me an invitation,” he said. “I’ll be attending this event as
well.”
